Retired Navy SEAL commander explains how to wake up earlier: 'Don't think'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Your alarm goes off, but you hit snooze. After rolling out of bed, you end up sipping a cup of coffee as you slowly scroll through emails and articles and maybe come up with a to-do list for the day as the caffeine kicks in. You're definitely not, as Jocko Willink would say, "getting after it."
Willink was the commander of US Navy SEAL Team 3 Task Unit Bruiser -- the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War -- and he has spent his retirement from the military sharing his leadership lessons through his books, podcast, and consulting firm, Echelon Front.
During a recent visit to Business Insider to talk about his new book, "Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual," Willink said one of the most common ways to sabotage your morning was to get a slow start by gradually waking up over projects that require thinking.
"Don't think in the morning," Willink said. "That's a big mistake that people make. They wake up in the morning, and they start thinking."
Instead, as soon as his alarm clock goes off at 4:30 a.m. -- he recommends waking up early, even if not that early -- Willink jumps out of bed and puts on the workout clothes he prepared the night before. He did his to-do list then, too, so he doesn't have to sip a coffee and wonder what he'll do that day.
He heads straight to his garage gym for a workout that wakes up his mind and body far more intensely than checking emails and doing some light stretching ever could. By the time he's done with his morning routine, most people are just waking up, most likely to try to start thinking.
Willink said: "Don't think. Just execute the plan. The plan is the alarm clock goes off, you get up, you go work out. Get some."
Read more:
• How much the best paid workers in 20 professions earn
• Seven outdated men’s style ‘rules’ that you can now ignore
• 16 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever
Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments